For immediate release: Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Contact: Oversight and Government Reform Press Office, (202) 225-5051

Chairman Towns Presses Salazar for MMS, Deepwater Horizon Information

Washington – Chairman Edolphus “Ed” Towns (D-NY) is deeply troubled by the lack of response by the Department of the Interior to a request he made two weeks ago for information related to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s investigation into the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill.

Chairman Towns sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today after the Department missed the deadline (on Friday, May 21, 2010) for producing documents and records on the management, operation, and effectiveness of MMS, including matters relating to the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Moreover, the Interior Department has so far failed to provide the committee with any estimate as to when the requested information will be delivered.

“As of today, the Committee has not received any of the requested information and records, nor have I received an official acknowledgement of my letter,” said Chairman Towns.  “While I understand that your agency and the Minerals Management Service are under a great deal of pressure at the moment, to have this request ignored is simply unacceptable.”

The Interior Department has been given a deadline of Friday, May 28, 2010 to provide the committee with a specific timetable for fulfilling the original request from May 14, 2009.

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the principal oversight committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, with jurisdiction over “any matter.”

“Under the House Rules, we are fully empowered and obligated to conduct oversight investigations of this nature,” added Chairman Towns.  “It is imperative that the Committee obtain this information so that we can conduct a thorough and timely investigation.”

###

Documents and Links

---

Letter from Chairman Edolphus Towns to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar